My Daughter’s Classmate Alaina Housley: shot dead.

 

Imagine. After every terrorist attack, the president offering “thoughts and prayers” to the families. Same with the Senators. Same with those in Congress. Then their constituents,“There’s nothing we can really do about it, terrorism is going to happen anyway.”
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This is the Trump-GOP. These are his supporters. After carnage at schools, concerts, nightclubs, churches, they offer gutless sanctimonious platitudes to the grieving families — mere words. No action in Congress.

Then we all wait, hoping the next one doesn’t hit home.

The next one always hits home.

It hit home for the parents of my step-daughter’s classmate at Pepperdine University, Alaina Housley. 

I think about Alaina’s mother every single day. I don’t know why I think about her mother and not really her father, but I’m telling you I think about her mother every single day.
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You might not pay attention to congressional efforts to increase gun safety. I do. The pathetic fact is that GOP leaders block nearly every national initiative to pass legislation — measures that would aim to at least try to increase measures to protect our children.

At least try to protect the innocent from terrorist attacks: check.

At least try to protect the innocent from drunk drivers: check.

At least try to protect the innocent from internet scams: check.

At least try to protect the innocent from mass shootings which increase at exponential rates: thoughts and prayers. Or bile about how the left is trying to take everyone’s guns away.
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Why would Republicans fight against basic gun safety? It’s simple. Their campaigns are funded by the NRA. And those precious dollars help keep them in power. Congressional leaders block common-sense gun legislation, the NRA gives back millions to their campaigns. Twenty-five million to get Trump elected so Trump could protect the NRA.

Quid pro quo. 

When I ran in the primary for United States Congress I was one of the few Republicans to receive the Gun Sense Candidate Distinction from an amazing organization, Moms Demand Action. Not because I want to take always guns — not because they do — but because leadership requires protection of the innocent. Whether the danger is from outside or inside the US, leaders stop at nothing to save innocent lives.

Moms Demand, like Mother’s Against Drunk Driving, is a grassroots movement. It was started by a mom named Shannon Watts. After the Sandy Hook massacre, she quit her day job. Started speaking truth to power. Millions of mothers today are part of Mom’s Demand in all 50 states. Not to take away guns, but to ensure they get into the hands of responsible citizens.

I want to reform my party — because Democrats shouldn’t be the only ones to fight for human rights, civil rights, social justice, the environment, and basic gun safety.

What does the GOP champion today that protects the innocent?